Window-sash-latching device



Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

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Application filed March 16,1921; Serial 1%.4'52'3103' i i T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY R. RITCHIE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Window-Sash-Latching Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in window sash latching or securing devices. An object of the invention is to provide a device which can be readily attached to the meeting rails of the upper and lower sashes so as to permit the same to be automatically latched together at all times, and at the same time permit them to be readily unlatched so that either one of the sashes may be raised or lowered independently of the other.

A further object is to provide a device which will prevent the same from being operated from the outside of the window by an intruder.

Further objects and nature o'fthe invention will appear in the body of the specification and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of the upper and lower sashes showing the device installed thereon. i

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the device in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale and on a plane indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1, just inside one of the side plates of the device, and showing the latch in position when unlocked.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the interior, showing the latch in its latching position.

Referring to the drawings in detail: 1 and 2 designate the upper and lower sashes, and 3 and 4 the meeting railsof the upper and lower sashes, respectfully. 5 designates a foot plate which is suitably secured to the rail 3 of the upper sash; 6 a rod or bar attached thereto by means of the rivet 7. This rod 6 is formed with teeth, or serrations, 8 that point downward, as shown. The horizontal shoulders 9 of these teeth are designed to engage correspondingly shaped shoulders on the teeth 10 of a latch 11 which is pivotally mounted at 12 within the housing or casing 13. A coiled spring 14, normally under compression, is interposed between the 11, whereby this latch is automatically and normally forced forward into latching en-' gagement with the rod 6. An operating lever 15 is also pivotally mounted within the cas ing 13 on the pivot pin 16. This lever is formed with a downwardly extending lip or pro ectitn 17 which engages and passes behind the lip or projection 18 on the latchmg latch 11, as shown. The lever l5extends outward from the casing 13 through a rey cess or opening 1 9 at the top. The spring 1 1 normally forces the lower end of the lever 1i :{gamst the casing 13, as shown in Fig. 3, a I t Its operation may be described as follows: Consider the upper and lower sashes inthe positions shown in Fig. 3. The operator lifts the lever 15 into, the dotted line position, this unlatches the latch 11 from the bar 6, permitting either the upper or lower sash to be raised or lowered independently of the other. If the upper sash is lowered (see Fig. 1) and the unlatching lever 15 is released by the operator permitting the spring 14 to again move the latch 11 into engagement with the rod 6, the two sashes are then latched together. The upper sash can now be raised or closed, since the teeth 8 will idly slip along the teeth of the latch lever 11.

The upper sash cannot be moved downward since the teeth are locked against movement in this direction. The lower sash can now be lowered when the teeth are in engagement, as shown in Fig. 4:. The construction therefore permits the upper sash to be raised and the lower sash lowered when the teeth are in engagement. It also permits both to be moved upward when the lower sash is lifted upward.

An important feature is the provision of automatically drawing the two midrails together by means of the springvl. The bar 6 is forced back against the rearmost wall 13 of the casing.

What I claim is:

1. A window latching device, comprising '111 combination, a serrated bar, a casing seextending through the casing, a pivotally mounted latch in the casing, a sprlng for 10 normally forcing the latch against the bar, and in turn the bar against the outer or rear Wall of the casing, and a lever for disengaging the bar and latch, as described.

HARRY R. RITCHIE. 

